Happy Cookies

It was a little too rainy for me this week, missing the sunshine :-(

And it was "sports day" at school, so I decided to bring a little sunshine to the class!

A simple sugar cookie with tinted royal icing rainbows complete with sparkling clouds.

Here's the recipe (so easy!)

For the cookie:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons ( 3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cups granulated sugar, plus 2 additional tablespoons
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

For the icing:

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 5 teaspoons meringue powder
• Enough water to make a paste consistency, approx. 1/4 cup
• 
  

1. Preheat oven to 375. Make the cookies: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Put butter, granulated and confectioners' sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches; mix until combined.
3. Place dough onto a large sheet of parchment. Roll into a 1 1/2"diameter log, wrap ends and place in refrigerator for min. 45 minutes.
4. Unroll parchment and slice cookies into 1/4" thick rounds. Space cookies 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until pale golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
5. Make the royal icing: Put confectioners' sugar, meringue powder, and 1/4 cup water into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on low speed 10 minutes. Tint icing accordingly and place into piping bags (I used sandwich bags today!)
6. Decorate each cookie with icing. (Leftover icing can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 days.) Let harden completely before stacking (takes 2 hours, overnight is best)

•